Lamp supporting arrangement for enclosed rotating signal light



p 1956 J. D. KENNELLY 2,762,994

LAMP SUPPORTING ARRANGEMENT FOR ENCLOSED ROTATING SIGNAL LIGHT Filed July 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ATTQRNEYS.

Sept. 11,

Filed July 5, 1955 J. D. KENNELLY 2,762,994 LAMP SUPPORTING ARRANGEMENT FOR ENCLOSED ROTATING SIGNAL LIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.'

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent LANE SUPPORTING ARRANGElVIE-NT FOR ENCLOSED ROTATING SIGNAL LIGHT Jeremiah D. Kennelly, Oak Park, 11]., assignor to Mars Signal-Light Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 5, 1955, Serial No. 519,901

5 Claims. (Cl. 340-50) This invention relates to a signal light and more particularly to an improvement in enclosed rotating signal lights of the type illustrated in Patent No. 2,578,239, issued December 11, 1951.

One of the important advantages of enclosed rotating signal lights constructed in accordance with this invention is that the lamps or sealed beam bulbs can be readily replaced whenever this is required without the necessity of removing screw-secured clamps or other such fastening means. Still another important advantage is that three or more lamps can be mounted under a single dome of the same size as that which heretofore has been used for housing a lesser number of lamps. This permits the efiiciency and effectiveness of the signal light to be markedly increased without at the same time increasing the overall size of the signal light. Further advantages which are inherent in the signal light of this invention stem from the open mounting of the bulbs, which permits the lamp terminals and wiring connections to be visually inspected without dismantling the mounting of the bulbs. It also permits the ready inspection and replacement of the electrical brushes which are normally employed for transferring current from the source of supply to the bulbs while they are being rotated.

This invention is shown in illustrative embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a side elevational view of a signal light embodying the present invention, some of the elements of the structure being shown in section for purpose of clarity; Fig. 2, a plan View of the signal light of Fig. 1 with the dome and one of the lamps removed; and Fig. 3, a perspective view of the lamp support employed in the device of Figs. 1 and 2.

Looking first at Fig. 1, there is shown a signal light having a light-transmitting dome for enclosing a rotating signal light. Dome 10 can be formed of glass or plastic and is preferably transparent although it may be colored so as to appear red, green, etc. Beneath dome 10 there is provided a partition 11 which extends across the open end of dome 10, being suspended from the inwardly extending upper end portion of base or shell 12. A rotatably mounted shaft 13 extends through the central portion of partition 11 into the interior of dome 10.

On the upper end of shaft 13 within dome 10, a lamp support 14 is mounted for rotation with the shaft. Specifically, shaft 13 extends through a central opening 15 in support 14, while support 14 is clamped to the shaft by means of set screw 16.

Lamp support 14 has a generally flat bottom portion 17 disposed adjacent and generally parallel to partition 11. Bottom portion 17, as shown more clearly perhaps in Fig. 3, is integrally connected to a plurality of upwardly extending arms 18, 19 and 20. These arms provide therebetween a plurality of semicircular recesses 21, 22 and 23. These recesses are adapted for supportingly-receiving the circumferential edges of scaled beam lamps. This is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, which show the lamps L in place with their circumferential edges e received respec- 2,762,994 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 tively within recesses 21, 22 and 23. It will be apparent that these recesses are adapted for the ready insertion and removal of the lamps L.

Preferably, there is also provided expansible elastic band members connected to the upper ends of arms 18, 19 and 20, and arranged so that each of the bands extends in an are above one of the recesses 21, 22 and 23 while being otherwise adapted to releasably secure the circumferential edges 2 of the sealed beam lamps L within the recesses. More specifically, in the illustration given, there is shown band members consisting of two metal straps 24 and 25 secured together at their inner ends by a tension spring 26 while their outer ends are provided with slots like slot 25a so that the band ends may be received on the studs 27, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, and secured thereon by a pin 28. If desired, band 24 can be provided with a pair of downwardly extending cleats 29 and 30 for holding the band in alignment with the circumferential edges e of the lamps L. Instead of the specific band members illustrated, any other expansible elastic band members can be used, providing the band members are adapted and arranged to perform functions equivalent to those illustrated in the drawing.

It will be noted that lamps L also provide terminal connections c which are electrically attached to wires w. The construction illustrated leaves these connections and wires open for visual inspection. Also, the brushes b within brush holders It can be readily inspected or replaced.

Some of the other parts shown in the drawing are not of particular importance for the present invention, but may be briefly referred to for sake of completeness. The shaft 13 is driven through a gear drive 31 from motor 32, which is mounted below platform 11 within base shell 12. On top of partition 11 there is provided an insulated contact plate 33 to which electric current is applied for transfer to the brushes b. Above the inwardly extending shoulder 12a of shell 12 is provided a washer 34 on which rest the lower edges of dome 10. The lower edges of dome 10 are provided with an outwardly extending flange portion 10a which is clamped against washer 34 by clamping ring 35, which in turn is releasably secured to shell 12 by screw means 36.

Operation In the operation of the signal light, it is assembled as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, there being provided three sealed beam lamps L within dome 10, as supported by holder 14 and secured therein by the expansible elastic bands, as previously described. Whenever it is desired to remove one of the lamps L, this can be done by expanding spring 26 to release the lamp. In the illustration given, the springs 26 are provided with loops 26a which releasably connect to the bands 25 by the hook ends thereof 25a. This feature, however, is not essential for the operation of the device. It will also be noted that in the illustration given the three recesses 21, 22 and 23 are evenly spaced around the bottom portion 17 of lamp support 14 and are oriented to hold the sealed beam lamps with their lenses facing outwardly. Also, it is preferred to form support 14 as a one-piece casting.

While in the foregoing specification this invention has been described in relation to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to other embodiments and that many of the details described above can be varied widely without departing from the basic concept and structural ideas of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a signal light having a light-transmitting dome with a partition extending across the open end thereof 3 v and a rotatably-niounted shaft extending through the central portion of said partition into the interior of said dome, a lamp support mounted on said shaft within said dome for rotation with said shaft, said lamp support having a bottom portion disposed adjacent and generally parallel to said partition, said bottom portion being integrally connected to a plurality of upwardly extending arms providing therebetween a plurality of semi-circular recesses for supportingly-receiving the circumferential edges of sealed beam lamps, said recesses being adapted for the ready insertion and removal of said lamps, and expansible elastic band members connected to the upper ends of said arms, each of said band members extending in an arc above one of said recesses and adapted to releasably secure the circumferential edges of said sealed beam lamps within said recesses.

2. The signal light of claim 1 in which three of said recesses are provided, being evenly spaced around said lamp support bottom portion and oriented to hold said sealed beam lamps with their lenses facing outwardly.

3. The signal light of claim 2 in which said lamp support as described in said claim 2 consists of a one-piece casting with the exception of said band members.

4. In a signal light having a transparent dome above a shell base with a platform separating the dome and shell interiors and a rotatably-mounted shaft extending upwardly from said shell interior to said dome interior through the central portion of said platform, a lamp support mounted on the upper end of said shaft Within said dome interior, said lamp support having a bottom portion disposed adjacent and generally parallel to said partition, said bottom portion being integrally connected to a plurality of upwardly extending arms providing respectively therebetween a plurality of semi-circular recesses for supportinglyreceiving the circumferential edges of sealed beam lamps, said lamp support bottom portion and said lamp support arms being formed as a one-piece casting, and expansible elastic band members connected to the upper end of said arms, each of said bands extending in an are above one of said recesses and adapted to releasably secure the circumferential edges of said sealed beam lamps within said recesses.

5. The signal light of claim 4 in Which three of said arms and three of said recesses are provided, said arms and recesses being evenly spaced around said lamp support bottom portion and oriented to hold said sealed beam lamps with their lenses facing outwardly.

Hinz Oct. 11, 1949 Johnson July 7, 1953 

